Put politics aside and approve inclusive VAWA

With just weeks remaining in this congressional year, most of the debate has surrounded the looming ''fiscal cliff,'' and rightfully so. But there is another piece of critical legislation that Congress needs to approve before the New Year - the Violence Against Women Act. Commonly referred to as VAWA, this bill is a priority item for me, and I hope to join Republicans and Democrats in approving it before the end of the lame-duck session.

I have been a consistent advocate of women's rights and organizations in Upstate New York - particularly those that aid the most vulnerable in our community. I am urging House leaders of both parties to agree to bring a bill to the floor of our chamber that is similar to a bipartisan bill that has already passed the Senate.

The Violence Against Women Act was originally established in 1994 and its programs help prevent domestic violence and protect victims of abuse. At the time this was first passed into law, a woman was raped every six seconds in the United States and a female was beaten every 15 seconds. Those statistics are staggering, and they prompted a call to action by conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats alike.

Since VAWA's enactment, cases of domestic violence have dropped by 67 percent. More than 1 million women have used the justice system to obtain orders of protection against their batterers. The law has also averted more than $14 billion in societal costs, mostly due to interventions, which have lowered domestic violence frequency and sexual assault rates.

The Violence Against Women Act has been successful. And it should be on the fast track to reauthorization. We have seen the benefits: It has saved lives and helped millions of victims find safety, security and self-sufficiency.

Despite all our advancements in the area of domestic abuse, three women a day in this country are still killed by an intimate partner. That is intolerable and why we need to reauthorize VAWA without delay.

Together with U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport, and other members from both sides of the aisle, we have written to Republican and Democratic House leaders asking to move past politics and send a bipartisan bill to President Barack Obama that he can sign immediately. I look forward to supporting a bill that gives our law enforcement and service providers - and most importantly, victims - all the tools and resources they need to ensure justice and recover from abuse.

Earlier this year, I could not support a version of VAWA voted on by the House because it would not adequately protect Native American, immigrant and LGBT women who suffer domestic violence. If a daughter, sister or perfect stranger was raped, battered or needed help, no one would care about her ethnicity, national origin or sexual orientation before we came to her aid - nor should the Violence Against Women Act. We would simply make sure she had all the resources to recover and find justice as quickly as possible. So, too, should Washington help all victims it possibly can. Vulnerable populations should not be excluded from these very important protections under the law.

Congress should be dedicated to provide the services that all victims of domestic abuse deserve. I wholeheartedly support VAWA programs and the work they do in keeping our communities safe. No community, and no person, should be neglected when it comes to domestic violence.

Let's put politics aside and pass an inclusive Violence Against Women Act that service providers, law enforcement - and most importantly, all victims - deserve.